Positive water circulator



June 16, 1931. .C M, CRANE' 1,809,888

POSITIVE WATER CIRCULATOR original Filed A r11 1o, 19'26 Patented JuneY16, 12931` 'CLIFFORD M. CRANE-,UE ST. P'UL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNQR '.VIO

f OF CHICAGO, .ILLINOIS Lucius WINCHESTER,

rosI'TIvE WATER cIRcULAron Appneafioa fied April 10,1 mzakseprial No.191;,12'0. [Renewed kapril 27,1931. f

This inventionfrelates to a boiler, particularly to a waterVcirculatingmeans 'for a boiler. While the Ainvention is 4applicable tovvarioustypes of boilers, it particularly is de'- ,f 5 signed for usewith alocomotive boiler tol form avpositive water.circulator.Y In mostboilers andin locomotive bilers, there is usually a space atithe frontand'lower portion of the boiler where thereV islittle or no circulationof'water. This dead water space as it is called," has Vseveral veryserious o jections. The iiues at `this portion'of the Iportion of a`locomotive, showing theinvenboiler become pitted andcorroded and`frequent replacement of the hues at'thisportionYK '3.5 is necessary.The 'non-circulation of l the water also causes-unequal heating of thewater and this causes unequal-expansionand contraction ofthe fluesheets, thus tending to .e loosen the fines and damage the sheets. The

29 front ue sheet fforthis reasonis usually made of thicker materialthan the'rearsheet. |The unequal circulation of thewater also results inang'ineicient useof-the heat gens erated and thus an ineiicient'useofthefuel 25 consumed. Then'on-circulationfalso results inan objectionable deposit of' sediment, at the front and lower portionofthe'boiler;wv p n It is an obj ect of thisinvention to: provide f a`simple and eilicient means for causing a '30 circulation ot the waterat the front and lower portions of theboiler; resultingin an equal andeliicient heatingof the'boile'rvvvater. g

It is a urtherobject of the invention/ to provide a positive watercirculation linclud-Av "'35 ing means extending into they hot end`cham-.1

ber at the front of the 'boiler by meansot which the water is evenlyjandefi'ectivelyplcirvculated at allportions of the boiler.'

It is more specifically an object ofthef-irr' vention to provide acirculatingmeans-for a locomotive boiler comprising,` one v:or K more`open ended pipes connected'to the front fine sheet at thelower portionthereof, extending d forwardly into the, hot endv chamber around '45 thespace above the exhaust nozzlev andkthen rearwardly and upwardly Vtothejuppei' por-l tion of said flue sheet adjacent the water line of theboiler. Preferably; a conduit or con- Vduits arealsoypr'ovidedf'leadingffrom the K 59 feed pipe and boiler check toadjaffzenty the parts adjacentthe rear end of the boiler, and hav'-l'ing Vits end .directed downwardly.

following description made in connection.

ywith the accompanyingy drawings, in which 1'which F ig. l is a verticalsection through a front,A

tion" applied thereto Fig. 2 isa vertical section taken on line 2 2 ofFig. 1 as indicated by the arrows; A

y Fig. 3 isa horizontal'sectiontaken online n y llig. 1 "asindicated bythe arrows;

Fig/.741 is a vertical section of the rear end portion of a locomotivevboiler, showing the 4invention therein, igl being shown on. a

"reduced scale. Y,

Referringtothe drawings, `a portion offra locomotive or locomotiveboiler is shown comprising the yboiler y,shell k6 having. securedthereinthe usual liront Hue sheet `7 in which" are secured the frontends kof the ire flues 8; The chamber at `the front of the Hue sheet 7is shown, whichis usually called the f1" These andot-her objectsandadvantagesoi f the invention .will be fully set orthfin the 'lower endof said pipes and a conduit leading l -from'the upper end of said pipesto apoint hot rend chamber, andcomprises the shell d e, 9. having`thevertical partition 10 therein .with the damper 11` shown adjacentthebotf tomthereoffand inthe horizontal shelf "or `partition*12.f` A lscreen partition 13 ex#V Vtends upwardly fromr the forward end oiY the'shelf 12vtov ,a` point adjacent the front ,end of 'e the `shelll9 `.and'said shell '9 has the'usual closing plate;` 14 at its frontfend. :The'exhaust nozzle 15 "isshown extending from the bottom of the shell 9upwardly through ythe shelf 12, and vertically alined withand.spaced'above said exhaust nozzle is thestackil. The parts so .fardescribed form a customary. standard structure ofthe m'odernjlocomotive.A super-heating 7unit lue sheet 7 and the partit/ion 10.

In accordance. with the present invention,

A(not(shown) is often disposed betweenthe,j`

yeu

h iviptli vided. While these pipes may be variously formed, in theembodiment of the invention illustrated, they are shown as cylindrical.Two of the conduits 17 are shown and the same extend from the lower sideportion of the flue sheet 7 and have their open ends secured therein.While these ends may be variously secured, they are preferably providedwith flanges 17a having a beveled portion extending through the fluesheet 7 and adapted to extend into and be bolted to a flange 18 onthe'opposite side of said flue sheet, the engaging portions of flanges17a and members 18 being formed as a ground joint. The pipe' 17 can thusbe readilyand easily removed by merely removing the bolts connecting thesame and members 18. The conduits 17 extend forwardly from their lowerends and the'ine sheet 7 around the exhaust nozzle 15, then upwardlythrough the partition 13 at each side of the stack 16 and rearwardlythrough the space between partition 10 and sheet 7 to said sheet 7 wherehave their upper endsr also provided flanges 17a attached to the members18 at the inner side of the flue sheet. It will be noted that eachconduit 17 extends across the shell 9 and has its upper end secured atthe opposite side of the flue sheet 7 from its lower end, s that saidconduits cross each other, In the modern practice the feed water isledinto the boiler through a pipe 19, said'pipe extending into the boilerand having a discharge or nozzle section 19a adjacent which is disposedin the pipe a check valve, commonly known as the boiler check. In thepresent invention a conduit 20 is provided for each conduit 17 and apipe `19 leads to each'of the conduits 20 and the nozzle 19a of pipe 19is alined with and slightly spaced from the front open end of theconduit or pipe 20 as `shown in Figures 1 and 3, the end of pipe 2()being shown as somewhat dared. Each pipe 2() extends forwardly anddownwardly and has its lower open end disposed in alineinent with andspaced a few inches in front of the open end of the pipe 17 Pipes 20will be suitably supported from shell 9 by means not shown. A pipe orconduit 21 is 3 .f also provided at each side of the boiler suit ablvsupported by means not shown from shell 9, the forward end of which isalined with and spaced rsome distance from the upper open end ofrespective pipe 17. The pipes 'f 21 lead to the rear of the boileradjacent the water line and preferably have their rear ends 21a directeddownwardly adjacent the front of the rear fine sheet 7 a and atsubstantially the point where the water .legs 6a are formed, adjacentthe rear flue sheet.

In operation, water will be delivered through the boiler and will occupya level therein indicated at 22.y The water will be forced into theboiler in the usual way through the pipes 19 and will be dischargedthrough the nozzles 19a. A large part of this water will be directedinto the pipes 20 and a circulation thus induced in said pipes. Thewater will pass downwardly and forwardly through the pipes 20 and bedirected forwardly in alinement with the conduit 17. A circulation willthus be induced or produced by the feed water in the pipes 17. The hotgases from the furnace pass through the tlues 8 into the space betweenflue sheet 7 and partition 10 and downwardly through the openingafforded by damper 11 below the shelf 12. The gases then pass upwardlythrough the screen artition 13 and are carried lout through t e stack16. As is well known,`a strong draft is produced in the locomotive andstack by the exhaust steam in the cylinders being discharged through theexhaust nozzle 15 and upwardly into the stack 16. The flue gases aredrawn by this draft into the stack and ejected therethrou h. Theconduits 17, it will be noted, are isposed in the path of the flue gasesand will e highly heated thereby. The water in the pipes 17 will thusbeheated and this will additionally tend to produce a circulation ofwater upwardly in the pipes17. This together with the circulationinduced by the water discharged from pipes 20 will cause a strong andpositive circulation through these pipes 17 so that the water will bedischarged rearwardl from the pipes 17 at the upper portion o the fluesheet and adjacent the water line in the boiler. This water beingdirected rearwardly, will in large part pass into the conduits 21 andtherethrough and be delivered at the rear portion of the boiler anddirected downwardly therein by the ends 21a of the pipes 21. As thewater is discharged from pipes 20 into the conduits 17 a circulationwillalso be induced into the pipes 1,7 from the water surrounding the pipes20, so that the Water at the lower front end of the boiler will be drawninto the pipes 17, which pipes are larger in diameter than the pi s 20.As the water is discharged from t e top of pipes 17, a circulation ofthe water at the top of the boiler in a rearward direction will beproduced so that the water will continually move away from the pipes 17Not only, therefore, is a circulation produced through pipes 20, 17 and21,*but an additional circulation is produced in the boiler, forwardlyat. the bottom portion thereof through the pipes 17 and rearwardly atkthe top portion of the boiler. The entire water of the boiler is thuskept in positive and continuous circulation.

With the use ofthe described apparatus. the dead water space at thefront lower end of the boiler is eliminated. The undue deposit ofsediment is also prevented and the inJurious action on the plates andflues due to the non-circulation of water and the deposit of sediment isprevented. The continuous and positive circulation of'the'water 'f inthe boiler resultsin an'V evenheating Vof the,

water and yunequal stresses .due `tor uneven heating are eliminated,rthus .'-addingfto the life or durability of the boiler.` The water beingevenly heated, the heat generatedin theV furnace is more efficientlyused and a greater amount of steam will be generated for a unit of fuel.This really means a saving ink the fuel used. `A large portionr of. thefeed water delivered -into the boiler, insteadof l being spread,` asusual, directly toward or- .readily removed from the front end of theboiler or locomotive, which end is always provided with doors. The pipes17, as stated,

are secured by ground jointsiitted into the front liue sheet and canthus be readily detached so as to be replacedor cleaned. The

pipes 17 areV quite large in diameter, so that there willl be nopossibility 'of the saine being quickly filled up with sediment orprecipitates from the water. With the present in-k vention the frontflue sheet can be made of as light a. material as the rear sheet and asabove stated, the damage and Vnecessary replace# nient of the flues atthe lower front y portion ofthe boiler will be eliminated.

From the above description it isseenthat applicant has provided a simpleVand efficient means for causing an effective circulation in the boilerand particularly a locomotive boiler, and one which will have a highdegreeof utility and one constituting a'de'cided viinfV The in`prei-'ement and advance'in the art. vention is simple and-canbereadilyinstalled in boilers or locomotives already inuse, or

also easily installed'in new boilers or locomo.- .K y

' f thereinto andcooperatingwith the heat of tives.

it will, yof course,be understood thatfgvas rious changeslmay be made inthe ferm, details, arrangement and proportions ofthe parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of generally c.

.each of said conduits, Vhaving its lower end spaced kfromandsubstantially alinedl with j applicants invention, which, p stated,consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects abovesetfforth, in the novel parts and combinations' of parts dis-l closedand defined in the appended claims. V

What is claimed is:

1. A water circulating means fora boiler,

iaving a front flue sheet and a hot gasfchainber at the front of thesaine, comprising onel or more open ended conduits extending from thelower front portion lfof the'boiler and flue sheet forwardly into saidchamber `then up-y wardly and rearwardly to the fiue'sheet and'` boileradjacent the water level thereof, and

a conduit inthe lower portion of said boiler..

for each of saidfiirst mentioned conduits, each ofsaid last mentionedconduits having its front-fend :spaced a short distance from andsubstantially alined with. the lowerk end of its Y respective firstmentioned conduit and-means for directing ywaterthrough said last mentioned conduits to assist'the heat in said gas chamber in causingacirculation vofwater kfrom the lower portion of the boiler tothe topthereof.

`ber at the front of thezsame, comprising Vone orfmore open 'endedconduits extending fromV thelower front portion of the boiler and fluesheetyforwardly into said chamber, then up- 2. `Atwater circulatingmeans fora boiler, having a front iue sheet' and a hot gaschamwardly.andfrearwardly tothe flue sheet and Y boiler adjacent thewater Vlevel thereof, ya pipe in -saidboiler for Veach of said conduitshavingitsv lower kfrontportion spaced ,from and/substantially alinedwiththe lower 'portion of its respectivev conduit, means Vfor directingwaterV through each vpipe and aqpipe in the upperportion ofsaid boilerfor each of said conduits, havingits front vend'spaced t from andfalinedwith the front end of its respective conduit rfandextending to ythe rearendl ofthe upper portion ofsaid boiler, whereby the"k heat of saidgasfchamber on said conduits and the Water directed through 1 saidiirsty mentioned ypipes will cooperateto create va y'continuouscircula-tion of water between the bottom andtop of said boiler. p j f3.vA water circulating means for a :boiler .having a'front flue sheet anda hot gas'chamberatthe front of said sheetv comprising conduitshavingytheir lower :ends `respectively secured in said sheet -at thelower portion ke5 A thcreofgand communicating with the boiler, i

ysaidconduits lextending forwardly into said .chamber andl Jupwardtherein, and'having theirupper ends secured in vsaid iiue' sheet adijacentthe water line of the boiler, and means spacedfrom-anddisp'osedaldj acent the lower endsfof-"said conduits for directing watersaid gas]` chamber to induce a circulation from the bottom tothe top kofthe boiler through 'saidy conduits.y

i claim 3, said "4; The structure set forthin last ,mentioned meanscomprising a pipe for thev lower endfof its respective conduit andextending upwardly and rearwardly insaid boilerfand af'feed water pipehaving its discharge end spaced from landsubstantiallyl extendingupwardly andgrearwardly in said boiler,`a feed'waterv pipe having itsdischarge iis Lacasse end spaced from and substantially alined boiler'spaced from the opposite end of said with the rear end of said pipe, anda conduit last mentioned tube for directing water at the top of theboiler for each of said first therethrough and through said conduit.

mentioned conduits having its 'front end spaced from and substantiallyalincd with the Vupper end of its respective conduit, extending to therear end of the boiler and having its rear end directed downwardly.

6. The combination with a locomotive boiler having a front flue sheet, ahot gas chamber at the front thereof, an exhaust nozzle extendingupwardly in said chamber and a stack spaced above and alined with Saidexhaust nozzle of a pair of conduits i having their lower open endsextending rfrom said boiler and fiue sheet, forwardly into said hot gaschamber at each side of said l exhaust nozzle, upwardly and laterallyvand then rearwardly at the side of said stack and to the upper portionof said flue sheet and disposed at the opposite side portion thereoffrom their lower ends, a pipe for each of said conduits having its frontend substantially alined with and spaced from the lower end of itsrespective conduit and extending upwardly and rearwardly, a feed waterpipe for each of said latter pipes extending into the boiler and havinga discharge end substantially alined with and spaced from the rear endof its respective pipe, and a conduit for each of said conduits in saidboiler having a forward end spaced from and substantially'alined withthe upper end of its respective conduit and extending rearwardly in theboiler to a point adjacent the crown sheet. y

7. A water circulatingr means for a boiler comprising an upwardlyextending conduitk secured at one end to the front sheet of said lboiler and communicating with the lower front portion of the boiler andsecured at its other end to said front sheet and communieating at saidlatter end with the upper portion of the boiler adjacent the water linethereof, a conduit in the lower portion of the tain amount of the waterinthe bottom of i said boiler to the top thereof and thus create acirculation of the water in the boiler.

8. In combination with a boiler having a flue sheet and a hot gaschamber at the outer side thereof, of a conduit secured at one end insaid flue sheet at the lower portion of the boiler extending into saidhot gas chamber, reversely bent and secured at its other end in said iuesheet adjacent the water line of said boiler, a tube in said boilerhaving one end spaced from said first mentioned end of said conduit, andwater feeding means in said In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CLIFFORD M. CRANE.

